The usefulness of the EQ-5D in differentiating among persons with major depressive episode and anxiety.

Background: Major depressive episodes (MDE) and anxiety disorders are associated with significantly lower health-related quality of life (HRQL). The present study explores the ability of the EQ-5D HRQL measure to differentiate among those with a clinical diagnosis of MDE and/or anxiety disorders.

Methods: Data were collected as part of the Alberta Mental Health Survey (2003).

Probiotics for pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

Background: Antibiotic treatment is known to disturb gastrointestinal microflora, which results in a range of clinical symptoms--most notably, diarrhea. This is especially important in children, for whom antibiotics are prescribed frequently. Although meta-analyses have been conducted to evaluate the ability of probiotics to prevent antibiotic-induced diarrhea in the general population, little is known about which probiotic strains and doses might be of most benefit to children.

Self-reported diagnoses of schizophrenia and psychotic disorders may be valuable for monitoring and surveillance.

Objective: To examine whether a plausible estimate of the prevalence of schizophrenia can be obtained with a self-report item in a health survey.

Methods: We estimated a self-reported prevalence of schizophrenia, using a grouped variable for all people who reported schizophrenia or any other psychotic disorder in the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being (n = 36,984). Estimates were stratified according to age, sex, and province of residence.

Misinterpretation with norm-based scoring of health status in adults with type 1 diabetes.

Background: Interpretations of profile and preference based measure scores can differ. Profile measures often use a norm-based scoring algorithm where each scale is scored to have a standardized mean and standard deviation, relative to the general population scores/norms (i.e.

Treatment gaps for hypertension management in rural Canadian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: There were a reported 2.2 million Canadians living with diabetes mellitus (DM) in 2002, of whom 1.98 million (90.